Disintegrating golf tee

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a golf tee which will shatter or disintegrate when struck by the driver employed by the player. The golf tee has a ball support section and an elongated tapered shank section. The ball support section has a concaved ball seat surface and a flat planar surface. The tapered shank section has a lower pointed ground engaging end and a flat planar upper surface, the planar surfaces are joined together by an adhesive. The ball support section is formed of a plastic material and the shank is formed from grass seed and a water soluble binder. The shank section is also provided with a centrally located elongated rigid reinforcing member. The ball support section serves the dual function of supporting a ball and preventing injury to the hand of a user due to contact with the reinforcing member in the event the shank should break while being forced into the ground.

I United States Patent 1 [111 3,884,479

Gordos May 20, 1975 i 1 DISINTEGRATING GOLF TEE Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham [76] Inventor: Ambrose Gordos, 4301 E. 2nd St., Amstam Examiner-T Brown Apt. 1E, Long Beach, Calif.

[22] Filed: Mar. 22, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT PP 453,738 This invention relates to a golf tee which will shatter or disintegrate when struck by the driver employed by 52 US. Cl 273/212- 273m the Player- The golf tee has 8 Support Section and [51] Int. Cl A632!) 57/06 an elongated tapered shank section. The ball support [58] Field of 273/33 212 section has a concaved ball seat surface and a flat plai nar surface. The tapered shank section has a lower [56] References Cited pointed ground engaging end and a flat planar upper r surface, the planar surfaces are joined together by an UNI [ED STATES PATENTS adhesive. The ball support section is formed of a plas- 702,078 6/1902 Stockder 273/33 i i l d h h k i fl f grass Seed g t 373/112 and a water soluble binder. The shank section is also lojlgm provided with a centrally located elongated rigid reinl8l5520 7/1931 i 273/33 forcing member. The'ball support section serves the l'gslslo 11/1934 273/33 dual function of supporting a ball and preventing in- 33506Z263 4/1970 Arrington 273 33 jury to the hand of a user due to Contact with the reinforcing member in the event the shank should break FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS while being forced into the ground 340,059 12/1930 United Kingdom 273/33 1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEB HAYZO I975 3, 884, 479

DISINTEGRATING GOLF TEE An object of my invention is to provide a golf tee which includes at least in part a quantity of fertile seed such as grass seed which will grow when distributed in the tee area of a golf course.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel molded golf tee including fertile grass seed such as alfalfa, meal or straw, oats, rye or other grass and any seed or finely-divided grass-like material which will permit being molded or formed into a shape comparable or similar to a standard golf tee.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel golf tee which is comparable in size and shape to the well-known golf tee.

Still another object is to provide a novel disintegrating golf tee which will add to the growing grass in a tee area and which will not only position the tee, but will also distribute the grass contained therein over a wide area of the tee.

Still another object is to provide a novel golf tee of the character stated which will eliminate the problem of broken wood or plastic tees in the teeing area which might dull or chip the mower blades.

Still another object is to provide a novel golf tee of the character stated which will largely eliminate periodic raking or surface cleaning of the teeing area.

Still another object is to provide a novel golf tee of the character stated which will not interfer with the stance of back swing of the player.

Other objects and advantages of my invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my disintegrating golf tee.

FIG. 2 is an enlargement of the area indicated at 2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the mold or die in which my golf tee is formed.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but showing the golf tee in a compressed position.

Referring more particularly to the drawing:

The numeral 1 indicates a golf tee of the usual and well-known shape and formed with a point 2 at one end so that the player can insert the tee into the soil, lawn or tee area of the golf course. My golf tee is formed with a substantial quantity of naturally growing seeds such as grass seed of various types and also fertilizers, etc., as necessary. The ingredients of the golf tee in clude livestock pellets which are employed by horticulturists to create or form grass covered tee areas. This seed indicated at 3 is compressed in a tool as will be subsequently described, and is sufficiently firm and rigid to permit the player to insert the tee into the teeing area.

To further increase the rigidity of my golf tee, I provide a reinforcement 4 consisting of a small wooden shaft, like a toothpick, which is still light and small enough not to interfere with a players game. At the upper end the tee is formed with a seat or cup 5, preferably concave in which the golf ball rests when about to be struck by the player. The seed or other similar product which forms a larger portion of my golf tee is also mixed with a paste or adhesive-like flour and water, which when dry will form a very rigid and substantial unit, but still will disintegrate when struck by the players driver.

The type of paste or adhesive, which is used to bind the various parts of the tee together, is variable; amounting to approximately grass or other growa ble seed and 25% other nutrients, pastes or fertilizers.

The tee may be formed in various ways, one of which includes a die 6 which has a shaped opening 7 therein, which is filled with the tee composition. The recess 7 is open at the top and can be filled from this point as will be evident from FIG. 5. When the products forming the tee are placed in the recess 7, the plunger 8 is now inserted in the recess 7 and is tapped forcible downwardly to compress the tee 1 into its final approximate shape. This is shown in FIG. 6, and the amount of force on the plunger 8 will determine to some extend the rigidity of the tee 1. The bottom surface of the plunger 8 will also assist in shaping the cup 5 to properly receive a golf ball.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A disintegrating golf tee that includes:

a. an elongate rigid tapered shank having a flat first end and a second pointed end, said shank formed from grass seed and a water soluble binder;

b. an elongate longitudinally extending rigid reinforcing member situated within the interior of said shank; and

c. a ball support having first and second oppositely disposed surfaces, said support formed from a plastic material, said first surface being concave andcapable of supporting a golf ball in a driving position thereon, said second surface bonded to said first end of said shank, and said ball support serving the dual function of both supporting a ball and preventing injury to the hand of a user due to contact with said reinforcing member in the event said shank should break when being forced into the 

1. A disintegrating golf tee that includes: a. an elongate rigid tapered shank having a flat first end and a second pointed end, said shank formed from grass seed and a water soluble binder; b. an elongate longitudinally extending rigid reinforcing member situated within the interior of said shank; and c. a ball support having first and second oppositely disposed surfaces, said support formed from a plastic material, said first surface being concave and capable of supporting a golf ball in a driving position thereon, said second surface bonded to said first end of said shank, and said ball support serving the dual function of both supporting a ball and preventing injury to the hand of a user due to contact with said reinforcing member in the event said shank should break when being forced into the ground. 